


up, up, and away

by icarizu



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Childhood, Childhood Friends, Gen, but his friends are there to make him happy!, hospital visits, poor widdle eichi is sick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:09:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26248471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icarizu/pseuds/icarizu
Summary: Children are fragile. No matter how tough they try to act, there is always something — something deep within them, that tells them of things they would rather not hear. The young Eichi was an example of that. Years spent silently longing for the chance to go outside — the chance to be normal, and this is the first time he’s ever felt genuine happiness around the people in his life.
Relationships: Hasumi Keito/Hibiki Wataru/Tenshouin Eichi
Kudos: 8





	up, up, and away

**Author's Note:**

> for twitter user @haranami_ !!! It’s me, your secret summer santa! Here’s your Watakeichi. Set in their childhood. I hope you like it! I’ve never written Watakeichi before, so this was a fun prompt!!

**_...How long has it been?_ **   
  
Eichi’s lost track of time. He doesn’t even remember what he last ate.  _ Has  _ he eaten? Nobody was keeping track. iSeconds turn into minutes and then hours, and Eichi finds himself growing lonelier and lonelier with each tik and tok coming from the clock above his bed.   
  
**_...The hospital stinks._ ** **_  
_ ** **_  
_ ** Sometimes he thinks … was this okay? Is living like this, not knowing if you would even survive each trip to the doctor, worth it? Sure, the Tenshouin family was a powerhouse and incredibly well off  — with many connections and even more influences in any industry. But at what cost? Eichi’s way of living? Eichi’s comfort? Eichi couldn’t remember a full week where he didn’t have to come rushing to the nearest private hospital.   
  
**_...How unfair._ ** **_  
_ ** **_  
_ ** Or at least, that’s what he thinks. It’s become a norm for Eichi to have a visit to the doctor every other day or so. The young man no longer had time for himself or for his studies. And because of his absence from the real world, Eichi didn’t exactly have many friends. His servants could identify themselves as a friend to the young Tenshouin, but Eichi knew better. Those servants never last long, anyway. They’d always leave, one by one. Probably because it was too much of a chore to take care of a constantly sick child such as Eichi.   
  
**_...That’s pitiful._ **   
  
Ah, he’s tired now. Eichi’s been thinking too much. This was exhausting...   
  
“Eichi!”   
“Don’t be too loud...you realize this is a hospital, right?”   
  
Two voices fade into the room, and before Eichi even realizes it, a pair of hands have already pulled him into an embrace, warmth seeping through him. The sudden movement surprises the young boy, causing his heart to race, but not too much to alert his doctors.   
  
“Wataru…” came Eichi’s voice, hushed and quiet, too afraid to make a ruckus.   
“Keito…?” He asks, eyes darting around until it eventually lands on yet another young, bespectacled boy.

“Eichi. We came to make sure you were okay. Wataru…  _ ahem… _ Hibiki-kun was particularly worried. Wouldn’t stop pestering me, really.” Keito huffs out, glares directed at the other boy in the room, now sitting on Eichi’s bed, arms still wrapped around the sickly blonde.

“How cruel, Keito! I only wanted to check on Eichi! You didn’t really object to it, though~ Just admit you also wanted an excuse to see Tenshi.” Wataru laughs, unloading his small backpack onto Eichi’s bed. It was full of books! Many … many books. Coloring books, story books, picture books. The abundance of reading material makes Eichi’s eyes shine with interest!

That would’ve been the first time in months that happened.

“I don’t … I didn’t …” Keito stammers, but eventually gives up, then also sitting on Eichi’s bed, adjacent Wataru.

“Now, now, Tenshi. We brought you a bunch of books we could work on! And I have my magic tricks! Keito thought it’d be nice if I showed you some of my  _ amazing _ feats!” Leaning forward towards Eichi, Wataru boasts, as happily as he could! The smell of Wataru’s hair calmed the young Eichi down, his heart finally stopping its marching rhythm. Now it was steady; calm. As if the presence of two very familiar people was enough to make him happy.

“You didn’t … have to go through all of that trouble, Wataru, Keito. I’m surprised your parents even let you come here…” Eichi says, in a voice low and quiet, as if he was afraid that someone might hear; as if the three of them had a secret meeting.

Wataru beamed. Keito directs his gaze somewhere else, choosing to focus on the window instead.

Feet swinging at the edge of Eichi’s bed, Wataru laughs! “Who said we asked for permission?”   
  
… Ah. That was to be expected, really. Eichi knew Wataru was one of his more troublesome … companions? Acquaintances?  _ Friends _ ?  _ Were _ they friends? Eichi wasn’t very sure… He wanted to at least believe that the three of them were at least close enough to be considered friends.  
“It’d be a waste if we came here for nothing.” Keito butts into the conversation, sounding as smart and proper as ever. For a thirteen year old, Keito was surprisingly quite fun with his words. He almost sounded like the adults Eichi despised so much! It was a little funny, really.

Eichi stares into blank space, the very notion of having people actually visit him here making him … happy?

Yes. Happy.

Eichi was happy.

People don’t normally visit him. Not his parents. Not his classmates. Not his teachers. Eichi wasn’t sure why. Were they afraid? Were they busy? Or did they not just care?

But with Keito and Wataru, Eichi can feel each and every one of those worries float away. Up, up and away, to the clouds he always loved to admire from his window each time he was stuck in this horrid excuse of a home.

Before everything even processes correctly, Eichi realizes …

_ Ah … I’m crying… _

Children are fragile. No matter how tough they try to act, there is always something — something deep within them, that tells them of things they would rather not hear. The young Eichi was an example of that. Years spent silently longing for the chance to go outside — the chance to be normal, and this is the first time he’s ever felt genuine happiness around people in his life.

“Eichi…? Eichi…! Hey! Don’t cry? Why are you crying?” Keito frowns, reaching forward with intention of wiping his dear friend’s tears away, but realizing he doesn’t have a handkerchief, so he uses the sleeves on his shirt. Wataru looks concerned, too, violet eyes looking back at the blonde with great worry.

Eichi never cries. Eichi never … cries.

Eichi never cries.

Which is probably the reason why everything had suddenly burst.

“Tenshi ~ Take a look at this!” Wataru calls for their attention, hands moving in sudden, mesmerizing motion, and before they all know it, Wataru’s produced a rose! As well as a handkerchief.

There’s a hint of a smile on Eichi’s lips, causing him to stop crying for a moment, using Wataru’s ‘magical’ handkerchief to wipe his remaining tears away.

“I’m sorry. I don’t … I don’t usually cry. I guess I’m just.. happy. That someone came to visit.” Admits Eichi, finally beginning to smile yet again, gazes directed at both Wataru and Keito. The pair in front of him exchange glances, only to smile back.

“Eichi. It’s okay to cry. I would’ve thought you knew that much by now.” Keito responds with the same authority he holds, adjusting his glasses. The light of the afternoon sun reflects on them, making it look like Keito’s eyes were shining.

“Yes, yes! Did my little trick make you happy? I’ve been practicing on it for weeks now!” Comes Wataru’s voice, offering the rose from earlier. Eichi nods gleefully, taking that rose into his hands.

“I still don’t understand, though…” The young boy whispers, shy yet again.  
“Why did you come here…? Now, of all times, too. I mean — they don’t usually allow visitors, so…”

Keito’s cheeks are tinged with red. As if he’s hiding something.

"Well. We kind of … snuck in.”

Wataru nods in agreement, looking quite proud!  
“It was easy to sneak past them! Besides, we are all friends, Tenshi! Of course we’d like to see you!”

_ Friends… _

Eichi smiles at the thought.

_ He has friends. _

**_...Thank you._ **

Before he knows it, Eichi’s wrapping all of them in a hug. He’s met with protests from Keito and laughter from Wataru, but Eichi could really care less. What matters is that he’s happy. He’s happy, and he’s content.

And so their combined laughter floats away into the sky. Up, up, and away.


End file.
